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Cheetahs - Coming Soon to the Indianapolis Zoo!
A Gift of Polly Hix and Tony Fair
In partnership through a conservation education gift from The Tony Stewart Foundation
 It can accelerate from zero to nearly 70 miles per hour in three seconds. Its immense nostrils let oxygen pour into its oversized lungs and heart as it chases down its prey, breathing an astonishing 150 times per minute. Its semi-retractable claws dig into the soil and its flowing tail swings like a rudder from side to side, allowing it to make turns so sharply angled and sure that they can make a gazelle seem clumsy in comparison. With penetrating yellow eyes set high on its head, black tear-lines on its cheeks to shield those eyes from the sun, it stalks with stealth and grace, camouflaged by its golden spotted coat against the sun-streaked tall grass. At rest, it purrs, but it never roars – ever.
It is the magnificent cheetah, the fastest animal on land, and one of the most beautiful creatures in the animal kingdom. It is unique among the big cats – a daylight hunter by sight, not scent, with its always visible claws, and its long, thin, deep-chested body and raffish spotted tail.
But, we are in danger of losing them forever. We can prevent this from occurring, but the window of opportunity is closing quickly.
During summer 2010, the Indianapolis Zoo will open its newest exhibit – Cheetah: The Race for Survival, and never has a name been so clearly expressive of the state of affairs. These simply gorgeous animals, so admired for their speed and grace, are in terrible straits. For a variety of reasons, their numbers are dwindling and unable to reproduce fast enough, their ultimate survival in their native ranges in Africa and Asia is problematic, at best.
 The situation is not hopeless, however. There are conservationists working diligently every day to preserve the cheetah, and the Indianapolis Zoo is working with one of the best known of them on Cheetah: The Race for Survival. Dr. Laurie Marker is founder and executive director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, which reaches out from its Namibian headquarters around the world to tell the story of the cheetah and its fight to live on. Not only did Dr. Marker assist the Zoo in designing the over 100,000 square foot exhibit space, her organization will benefit directly from parts of the exhibit that illustrate the work the Fund is doing to save wild cheetahs.
To garner public support for Dr. Marker’s program and others, and to foster a passion in the public mind for conserving cheetahs, this exhibit will offer extraordinary views of these cats from several different viewpoints. Visitors are immersed into the cheetah’s environment from the moment they enter the exhibit in the African Plains Biome.
The entire exhibit has been designed with two distinct areas for the cheetahs, parted by one segment of the visitor path, with both areas populated by strategically planted trees and rock outcrops that allow for both close viewing by the humans and a sense of ease and security for the cheetahs. Around the corner will be an exhibit of bat-eared foxes and hornbills, two other species from the central savannah of Africa. The fox is well named for its enormous ears, which it uses to catch the faint stirring of insects and other small prey. Likewise, the hornbill bird has an oversize, downward pointing bill that does, in fact, resemble the horn of another animal – a cow.
At the exit, there’s another unique feature – a performance area where demonstrations will show how special guard dogs are used to protect livestock from free-roaming cheetahs in Africa, thereby preventing conflicts with farmers. Guests will have the opportunity to speak directly with staff, watch a training demonstration with the cheetahs, and meet a Kangal dog. They will also be invited to get involved in cheetah conservation through some specific calls-to-action, including signing up to receive “tweets” from a special Zoo conservation Twitter account.
The Indianapolis Zoo, a leader in conservation, is proud to present Cheetah: The Race for Survival, opening summer 2010. Thanks go to the exhibit supporters – donors Polly Hix and Tony Fair and conservation education gift partner, The Tony Stewart Foundation. Cheetah: The Race for Survival - this will be one of the most exciting and dynamic exhibits we've ever had!
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